Indian Hills Curb Appeal Makeover!

This 1970s home in East Cobb was transformed inside and out, and with this facelift, Atlanta Curb Appeal proved once again that you do not have to bulldoze and start over to have a classic, modern-looking home! This home is situated in Indian Hills, a very desirable neighborhood because of the schools, a golf course, and a central location. Many owners have been knocking down original homes to build large, new homes, but this homeowner saw the potential in this gorgeous home and hired Atlanta Curb Appeal to update it. They heard about us through online research and neighbor recommendations.

Before Renovation:

After Renovation:

Our first job with this home was an internal renovation. Sadly, the homeowner had suffered a flood from the upstairs to the downstairs, and there was a lot of damage to fix. After we transformed the interior (bedrooms, bathrooms, mudroom, and kitchen), we set to work on the beautiful exterior. We wanted to update and improve the exterior of the home without overwhelming the original style of the house. We also wanted to make sure that the new additions added proportion and visual appeal to a home that has great bones and a stunning, updated interior. Multi-textured facades are a great way to improve the outside of an older home.

Our master carpenter, Jose, who has been with us since 2011, worked on-site to create custom cedar shutters with intricate details. They are all made from solid, durable boards. He also created custom cedar beams, mini-pergolas over some of the windows, and decorative cedar brackets for the soffits.

Cedar is an excellent choice if you are looking for wood accents like these on the exterior of your home because it is naturally resistant to moisture, rot, and insects. In addition to the new Portico and wood elements, Atlanta Curb Appeal also centered the front door and added a beautiful stack-stone landing and stairs, and we removed brick molding from around the garage door and garage windows.

We added cedar borders in their place. The homeowner was more than pleased with the updates inside and out and has sent us several messages thanking us for transforming their home!

Want to read another Makeover Story in Indian Hills? Check out this Gorgeous East Cobb Kitchen Makeover!

Ready to begin your home’s Makeover journey? Contact Atlanta Curb Appeal to get an estimate. Atlanta Curb Appeal is known for staying on budget and on deadline.

Amazing East Cobb Sunroom Renovation

Sometimes the answer to dissatisfaction with your home isn’t to move, it’s to grow where you are. For this East Cobb family, they were looking for a larger space to enjoy the beautiful view of trees on their lot while basking in the natural sunshine.

The Backstory

Their original old deck was slowing falling into disrepair. The decking was warped and full of splinters. Sadly, both the sun porch and deck didn’t get much use because of the unusual floor plan. The awkward layout didn’t encourage the family to stop and enjoy the view.

Initially, the family thought the outer deck structure was salvageable. However, we discovered that after removing the top boards, the underlying joists were not only weak but also not level. It would be unsafe and short-sighted to build on top of this. What a shame it would be to put a beautiful new deck and porch on such a crooked, irregular frame. After a short meeting, the family decided to bite the bullet and start fresh from the ground up. Another benefit to starting over would be an expansion of the foundation. Increasing the square footage would also boost the home’s value.

Going Up!

With the new foundation installed, the structure started to take shape. A new detail to this sun porch was the EZE Breeze windows. EZE Breeze windows are different than your typical residential windows because they are made of vinyl. Benefits include a lifetime warranty. Most interesting is that they fold up or down and can stack into four pieces. Modularity allows for more creativity, especially when the screens are open and there is airflow. Plus they are excellent at protecting your furniture during Atlanta’s dreaded pollen season!

Another style upgrade to the sun porch is the addition to the ceiling. Behold the beautiful dark brown cedar beams! The overall color scheme chosen is a gorgeous shade of white with complementary browns. The natural color of the cedar in the beams and detailed columns give great warmth to the room now. We used 2×6 smooth cedar decking outside and finished it with an oil base tinted stain. It should be noted when designing a new porch, the price of cedar raises the overall cost quite considerably.

Efficiency Year Round

The key to keeping the temperature stable year round on a sun porch is insulation! The walls and ceiling were the first to receive the treatment. In a later phase, the floor will get insulated too. Georgia summers can be brutal, so we installed a massive 72″ ceiling fan. It’s doing an excellent job keeping the room cool when some of the windows are vented.

Skylights were installed to overcome the vastness of this larger porch. Skylights help bring some natural light inside; it’s beautiful to see the sky and clouds pass by while sitting down enjoying the day.

The final dress-up to this sun porch was the myriad of lighting selected. Outside, we installed under soffit can lights. Inside, we placed indoor can lights on two different dimmer switches; this allows for ‘atmosphere dimming’ to set the mood. The new wall-mounted decorative lights look fantastic on the columns.

 

Have you heard of shiplap? It’s the latest style in renovating and it looks sumptuous on the inside wall against the house. We used different-sized wood planks and gave them a whitewashed finish. It’s a trend that’s here to stay.

According to the client, the most popular part of the sunroom they have found themselves using is the sitting area. It’s getting daily use now along with the long table when they host friends.

Are you ready to get your porch ready for Spring and Summer? Call Atlanta Curb Appeal to get a free estimate today at 770-778-1172.

Want to read another makeover story? See the beautiful Outdoor Kitchen with Cedar Deck we built for this family!

See the Atlanta Curb Appeal Gallery here.

 

Astonishing Transformation of this East Cobb Home!

Recently Atlanta Curb Appeal wrapped up another amazing whole house makeover in East Cobb, GA!  Below is an interview with owner Avi Moyal about the details of the project. It’s a great story including a little bit of mystery we hope you will enjoy reading.

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How did they find you?

Well this is a very interesting story…

I got a call one day, asking me to come and give a quote for some curb appeal work. As always, I ask my new clients, how did they find me? This lovely lady said she is holding a postcard I had sent her in the mail recently. I was shocked to hear that because the only time I did mass postcard marketing was exactly 3 and half years ago. I had to go and see it with my own eyes, so I got in my car and drove straight to her house. And there it was, the postcard I printed almost 4 years ago was there in her hand! No idea how that happened. A mystery maybe the USPS can solve for me!

Why did they select Atlanta Curb Appeal? Did they get other quotes?
The client got 3 quotes, one was a little lower than ours but she did not feel that he could deliver. The second quote was considerably higher than mine. She went with ours because she liked the design ideas I proposed.

A few years ago she had the front landing and stairs done and she didn’t like how it turned out at all. So we came up with a new design that included demolishing the existing one and building it from scratch, which we then covered with a beautiful natural stone all the way to the driveway.

What projects did you complete in the home?
Refinish the hardwood floors
Replace the front door
Fix the rotted cedar siding
Demolition the front porch and rebuild new rounded stairs and cover with natural stone.
Build a portico
Dramatic exterior change using new paint palette
Paint the deck and railing
Replaced all exterior lights
New custom made shutters

Why did they choose to have the hardwood floors refinished?
Actually she hadn’t decided to do it until our initial meeting. They were very scratched, basically due to common wear and tear. During my first assessment, I asked her if she would like to go ahead and refinish them while we were in there doing the renovations. It’s a simple process really since they are solid hardwoods, easily sanded and refinished to any shade one could want.

What caused the rotted cedar siding? Was this instance typical of homes of this age? Or was it due to a manufacturer problem?
Some decay is normal, part of the aging of the natural cedar siding. Overall though, the siding was in decent condition. Merely a few critical places needed to be removed and replaced.

Why did they want to add a portico? What was their inspiration?
We went over a few designs however they really liked the portico that is featured on our homepage. Actually the whole color scheme of the exterior of that house was really appealing to them so we went with the same color formulas. Gray with white and black accent and trim colors.

Was gray in color in mind from the start?
She had gray in mind from the start but not the actual shade of it. All the colors were discussed together and the red door was her special request.

Why was the front door replaced instead of painted?
The client wanted a new door and sidelites to give a reinvigorated look to the front of the house and to accentuate the attractive new portico.

Did you have to resurface the deck before painting?
No, it was in good condition, we kept the deck as is, we only pressure-washed and repainted it. Because it had been painted in the past, we couldn’t merely apply a stain over the old deck. The new deck colors were chosen to complement the new exterior, white for the railing and light gray for the floor decking. The results were amazing, way beyond our expectations!! There is such a clean and neat feeling there now.

How many days for each phase of this project?
In a perfect world:
Paint – 1 week
Floors – 3 days
Front stairs – 1 week
Portico – 5 days
but we were there for almost two months because of rainy days.

We also installed a new house numbers sign that matched the new look. When we took off the old door, the client wanted to keep these 4 digit metal numbers as a souvenir. I offered to take it home and do something artistic with it.

Did they book the bathroom remodel job after they saw and loved your work or was this always in the original plan?
Yes the bathrooms came much later in the process; we will start them in a couple of more weeks probably.

Are they happy with the finished results?

The day we finished, after I got home that evening, I got a text from them saying ” I like it all so much Avi that I’m crying I’m so happy. I just can’t believe I have a pretty house after 20 years. I wish my mother could see it now. Thank U Avi” (see above).

This filled my heart with joy knowing we made someone that happy with our work.

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Would you like to read more makeover stories? Here is an amazing backyard makeover we completed last fall.

Click here to see her review.

Our Gorgeous Backyard Video Will Inspire Your Spring!

Our Gorgeous Backyard Video Will Inspire Your Spring!

Recently Atlanta Curb Appeal completed a breathtaking backyard makeover in East Cobb, GA (read the full post here). It was a massive undertaking: hot tub, deck, pergola, gates, fencing, retaining wall and stone steps. Watch the video to see the spectacular results!

 

These next few weeks are the perfect time to get a free estimate for a new deck. We have already had calls requesting quotes for outdoor expansions. Sometimes clients already have an idea of what they are looking for after doing searches for “decks” or “pergolas” on Houzz or Pinterest. We are able to guide them in the right direction to a deck or pergola that is not only functional but also beautiful.

Have you had thoughts about how your backyard might get transformed? Let’s review a few of the projects we have done this year to get you inspired!

New Pergola with Custom Cut Stone Wall

Pergola with New Deck East Cobb Ga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front Yard Makeover with Pergola

Stained Pergola Buckhead

 

 

This Buckhead front yard makeover we completed last year, yet it’s so pretty when we added the staining. We had to show it off again!

 

 

 

 

Deck Extension, Widened Stairs and Covered Porch

Partial Covered Deck Installation

 

 

With a covered deck you can still be outside without the sun in your face. They added a ceiling fan and the warm summer nights are now enjoyable in this expanded space.

 

 

Outdoor Kitchen Set Up with Custom Green Egg Station

 

In this particular home, the custom countertop and Green Egg cabinet was perfect for this outdoor chef.

 

 

 

We hope that these pictures have got you thinking of the amazing possibilities Atlanta Curb Appeal has to offer. Call us for a free quote or check out our online Gallery.

Atlanta Curb Appeal, 770-778-1172

 

Portico F.A.Q.

Portico F.A.Q.

What is a Portico?

“A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in Ancient Greece and has influenced many cultures, including most Western cultures” from Wikipedia.

What are the most popular styles of Porticos?

At Atlanta Curb Appeal, the most popular portico style we have been seeing this year is the Colonial Portico. Below are two examples of Colonial Style Porticos we have created in the past twelve months.

How much does a Portico cost?

A standard Portico will cost about $5K. Special custom details can increase the price.

What are some of the choices to be made when selecting a Portico?

Surprisingly there are a lot of decisions to be made. We can help guide the homeowner to a design that will best accentuate their curb appeal.

What are the benefits of a Portico?

Portico benefits include shelter from the rain and protection from direct sunlight to the entryway. Porticos also give an air of dignity and polish to your home’s exterior. Finally they increase the overall property value of the home.

Are there any limitations to installing a Portico?

No limitations, but enough space is required above the door so a gabled roof can be attached. Some homes have a low placed second floor window, which necessitates a flat roof instead of a gabled one.

Here is a list of options for a new Portico installation

Column shape

• Square Solid
• Square with Inlay
• Round

Roofing Materials for Porticos

• Matching Shingles
• Metal
• Copper
• Aluminum

Column Length

• Full length
• Half Columns ending in Stone
• 3/4 Columns ending in Stone

Column Quantity

• 4 corners
• 2 front corners
• Double Column in Front

Roof Style

• Pointed Gable
• Flat with Small Rise
• Triangle Gable
• Curved
• Pointed Gable with Interior Curve Design

Entrance

• Ground Level
• Add on Porch with no sides
• Add on Porch with 2 sides
• Add on Porch with Sides and Gate

Interior Ceiling

• Flat
• Curved
• Inlaid Wood Design

Lighting

• Single Hanging Fixture (very popular)
• Wall Fixture
• Uplighting on columns

Installing a new Portico onto your home can be a fantastic way to increase curb appeal. Atlanta Curb Appeal installs Porticos in East Cobb, Marietta, Alpharetta, John’s Creek and Towne Lake. Please check out our online reviews on our testimonials page on our website.

Thanks for reading

Atlanta Curb Appeal, 770-778-1172 http://www.atlantacurbappeal.com 

 

 

Check Out This Beautiful Metamorphosis! Amazing Backyard Makeover!

Outdoor Deck and Backyard Makeover in East Cobb

This month on our blog we are covering a huge exterior project recently completed in East Cobb, GA (Marietta). Here is an interview with Avi Moyal, owner of Atlanta Curb Appeal, about this beautiful backyard metamorphosis.

 

How did the clients hear about you?
Last year we had done some work in their East Cobb neighborhood; they had remembered our sign and ended up talking with the owners about their experience with us.

Were you the only company that submitted an estimate?
They actually met with 3 contractors but liked our company the best. They sensed that we were the most knowledgeable and that we would deliver results.

What was the scope of work?
First we performed demolition on the old fence around the back yard. Then we pulled out a minor retaining wall (which was falling apart) in the lower part of the yard and also a long rotting wall in the upper section. After all of this we took down the sick trees and several bushes that were in the way. Following this we executed the demolition of the old deck. Then the new landscaping began. We started with soil grading in all areas and installing a new drainage system. We fixed and upgraded the old sprinklers system and lay down the new pavers area. Then came the build of the new fence.

Before: With Old Retaining Wall

Finishing:On Site Stone Shaping

Phase two was building a new large deck and hot tub plus the pergola above. We laid the steppers stones and steps, put sod and mulch down and completed two long retaining walls made of natural stone. This part took the whole length of the project time which was about 2.5 months. We actually did the shaping stone by stone and the put them into place. Yes, it is sincerely a true work of art and the results speak for themselves.

Tell me about the landscaping improvements in the backyard. Was this an extensive project?
In many areas, there wasn’t any grass. Likewise they did not have plants to support the water and erosion from the weather. Their property is on a slope and had major issues with drainage. We put a new drain system in place and directed all of the gutter water and the gushing water from the neighbors to the creek behind their house. We installed new sod and plants. Strategic planting can help hold soil in its place.

Why did they want a pergola in their backyard?
The pergola idea came later in the project when they decided to add the hot tub. The deck and stairs plan got totally re-designed after the new beautiful retaining natural stones (stone walls, paths?) were built. We decided to go ahead and add a section to the deck and drop the hot tub into the lower part of the back yard. Finally, we created a side access gate for servicing the hot tub. Many homeowners don’t take this potential frustration saving step into consideration.

What were some of the issues you encountered?
The biggest revelation was actually a good surprise that triggered a new design. I believe the amazing results of the beautiful pavers and stonewall created the appetite for redesign. We had a meeting on site, with the owners, that was very productive. We all felt that the new design was going to be a better use of the area with a dramatic increase of open space by using stepping stones and Crab orchard steppers (18″×36″×5-6″ thick) built into the sod, instead of the original planned decking wood stairs that was supposed to connect the upper level with the lower back yard. The homeowner in turn approved the increase of costs for new material and labor.

With hot tub installations, what are some things homeowners need to be
aware of before starting?
Make sure you are in communication with the hot tub supplier. They gave us the specs ahead of time and we had to bring in a new 240v and 110v line from the main breaker box to power up the tub.

Why are you waiting to stain the wood of the pergola?
The entire deck and pergola were made with pressure treated lumber. The wood has to dry for about 4-5 months before it can accept stain.

Are pergolas purely ornamental or do they have a raison d’être?
Pergolas are mainly aesthetic but do provide some shade. Some people add lighting or outdoor speakers. It can be a great place to hang a hammock.

Thanks for reading about our backyard renovation project in East Cobb this month. Feel free to share our blog with a friend!

Avi Moyal

 

 

Help, Our Deck Needs Covering!

What happens when your deck has too much sun and exposure to the elements? What do you when you have no true place for grilling or chilling?

Call Atlanta Curb Appeal!

Call Atlanta Curb Appeal and get a new deck and covered porch!

 

How did they find you? And what was your first meeting like? From owner Avi Moyal: “Our latest clients saw one of our yard signs and decided to call for a free estimate to see if we could help them out. The couple had an existing deck and a limited amount of light shade in their backyard. Together we came up with some great ideas for a nice patio cover retreat for entertaining. Since the client works in design and architecture, we ended up having a good number of discussions over the engineering plans.

The design we decided on was to extend the deck with another section. This new addition of deck would be the perfect place for their grill, the Green Egg Grill and a brand new sitting area which would include a built-in bench plus a granite worktop surface area in between the two grills. The perfect foodie home chef experience!  But wait there’s more! Of course we wouldn’t want the guests falling off the deck after a few Shirley Temples so a new railing was going to be added too.

And after enjoying a nice outdoor meal the perfect way to polish off the evening would be an entertainment media center complete with an exterior sound system and wall mounted outdoor flat screen television. Part of all this magic would include relocating the water hose, adding a ceiling fan, moving electrical outlets to the front deck and bringing a gas line from the basement to an area under the deck for the BBQ! No more wasted time preparing for a party running to the store for more gas!

How long did this all take? What was it like day to day working with Atlanta Curb Appeal? The project took about two weeks. Every day while we were building it the client would come home and we’d discuss the day’s construction and progress. I enjoy this open communication with clients keeping them in the loop about everything we do (for clients who are off site I do this with emailed pictures and videos). Together we had a healthy open professional dialogue where he brought me his opinion and we were able to discuss and implement as a team. One challenge that we ran into was the old deck. When we first examined it we all decided that if we got into the project and felt the old deck wasn’t safe we would take action. It did end up being poorly constructed. To remediate, we added four posts, beams and braces to reinforce the existing structure. Our clients are thrilled with their East Cobb deck extension, railing and new porch. They are loving it so far, are very excited and truly thankful. They are super pleased and thankful for the amazing craftsmanship and are delighted that their projects was in good hands.

Do you have a deck or patio that needs updating? Or are you looking to increase the length of Georgia’s outdoor entertainment season? Call us!

Atlanta Curb Appeal 770-778-1172

After-New Portico, Deck and More